How to tell if a bunny is a male or female

Lanh MaUpdated February 21, 2017

Whether you are planning to breed rabbits or to keep them as pets, it is important to know how to tell a male rabbit from a female rabbit. Adult rabbits are straightforward in displaying their sex, but with rabbits younger than 5 weeks old, this can be more challenging.

Turn the rabbit on its back.

Identify the genitals and the anus right behind the rabbit's tail. The anus is a small opening closest to the tail, while the genitals are inside the small opening furthest from the tail.

Apply very gentle pressure to the spot. This will cause the rabbit's genitals to protrude. A male will show a round, tubelike protrusion with a small round opening in the centre. This is the penis. Older males may also show small bumps to either side of the penis, which are the testicles. Females will also show a pink protrusion, but it will be ovoid, or egg-shaped, and have a slit in the centre. This is the vagina.

Tip

Female rabbits have nipples, while males do not. However, the nipples are usually not evident unless the female has had a litter, and a rabbit that does not show nipples may still be a female. If you have never sexed a rabbit before, it may be easier to lay the rabbit on its back and to have someone else hold its head while you check. Male rabbits are called bucks, and female rabbits are called does.